I am also fortunate to have two of the quartet as teachers (the second violinist and violist, you can read more about them and the other members at their website).
These concerts were a tribute to the centenary of composer Benjamin Britten's birth in 1913. The first concert was made up of a piece by Stravinsky (Concertino), some short pieces by Frank Bridge, Britten's Quartet No. 1, and a Mozart quartet (K. 589 in B-flat major). The second concert featured two fantasias by Purcell, Schubert's Quartettsatz, Britten's 3rd quartet and the Ravel quartet. I really enjoyed the programming in that both of them had a great variety of works, in addition to both ending with famous and familiar works (Mozart and Ravel). All of these composers inspired Britten in his composition career at some point, and the quartet did a little introduction to each piece to tell the audience how or when Britten encountered the work, and the impact it had on him. These tidbits of inside information were great to have as well, and really engaging for the audience to hear the quartet speak about their programme.
My personal favorite piece from the two programmes turned out to be one that I'd never heard before, the Britten Quartet No. 1. Described as being from the period of Britten's composition when he was "old enough to have great skills, but young enough to want to show them off", this piece really resonated with me. (Perhaps it was the "showing off" aspect!). Beginning with dissonance in the high strings, Britten's first quartet captivates from the first notes, whether one likes it or not. The contrasting rhythms and ideas provide interest and stimulation throughout the work.
Another favorite moment was the beginning of the second movement, with the outbursts of energy from each musician in turn, with a background of staccato chords, which although they have momentum, are relatively calm compared to the outbursts. The first entry is taken by the violist, and Gillian Ansell of the NZSQ did this so effectively that as a first-time listener of this quartet I had absolutely no warning of what was to come, and after the entry, she played on with the staccato notes so calmly and good-naturedly, as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened, creating a slightly amusing and extremely enrapturing effect. After that first entry I couldn't wait to hear what would happen next in the rest of the work.
Also in this quartet is an unusual instance of the two violins and the viola all being in unison against the cello, and later the cello gets a turn at playing the unison tune while the others do something different. The quartet executed this splendidly and the virtually flawless intonation of the (quite long) unison passage was very impressive!
The NZSQ is a real asset to New Zealand. In addition to performing in NZ and overseas, they take the time to teach and run a summer chamber music course for young people. They each have their own individual strengths that, when combined, make them a unique and dynamic group. And, they are at a standard that undoubtedly rivals that of the international ensembles we see come through Wellington. Finally, having met and had lessons from them I know firsthand that they are all very encouraging and dedicated individuals who genuinely care about the wellbeing of their students. Long live the NZSQ!
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